Arts and Economic Prosperity in Eugene

Press Release

WHEN: Friday, November 9, 2012 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
WHERE: Eugene Hilton
12th Floor Vistas Ballroom
NEWS UNTIL Nov. 10, 2012
WHAT: The Arts Means Business In Eugene
WHO: Randy Cohen, Americans for the Arts

Last year, 29 local arts organizations participated in a nation-wide study sponsored by Americans for the Arts of the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organiza- tions. Eugene was one of over 180 study sites across the country and the results prove that Eugene is truly a “Great City for the Arts.”

Arts & Economic Prosperity IV, a national impact study of nonprofit arts organi- zations and their audiences provides new evidence that non-profit arts and culture are a $45 million industry in Eugene—one that supports 1,739 full-time equivalent jobs. At their BRAVA Breakfast, the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE) will release a detailed report of that study, which was facilitated in Eugene by the ABAE, the City of Eugene, and the UO Center for Community Arts and Cultural Policy.

Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Policy for Americans for the Arts, is a nationally recognized arts advocate. He will present the study’s findings about Eugene’s leadership in supporting the arts and the economic impact in our commu- nity.

The program will be introduced by Tina Rinaldi, Managing Director, of the UO Arts and Administration Program. Kari Westlund, President and CEO of Travel Lane County, will be the first questioner.

This meeting will be broadcast Monday, November 12, 2012 at 6:30 pm, on KLCC 89.7 FM.

Please join us at our Friday Forum which will take place at the Eugene Hilton, 12th Floor Vistas Ballroom, 66 East 6th Avenue, beginning at noon, Friday, November 9, 2012. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. Guest/Gallery admission is $5,
free for City Club members.

The mission of the City Club of Eugene is to “build community vision through open inquiry.” The Club explores a wide range of significant local, state, and national issues and helps to formulate new approaches and solutions to problems. Membership is open to all and Club members have a direct influence on public policy by discussing issues of concern with elected officials and other policy makers.

As you know, the results of the AEP4 study will be released in Summer 2012.   We will be discussing these findings during community events throughout Fall 2012, including the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene’s BRAVA Breakfast on November 9, 2012.  This event will have an exciting special guest so be sure to get your tickets as soon as they go on sale!

For more information about this event, contact the ABAE at 541-242-2364 or artsandbusinesseugene@gmail.com.

On December 31, 2011, our volunteers were at the Hult Center one last time to survey the audience of Eugene Opera’s production of “Carmen.”  This marked the end of the data collection period for the Arts and Economic Prosperity IV (AEP4) Study, a year-long, two-part study that evaluates the economic impact of spending by local nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences.

Volunteers here in Eugene collected audience surveys at events throughout the year and helped facilitate the collection of data from arts organizations across our community.  From our first event, the Cherry Blossom Festival on February 10, 2011, through the final performance of “Carmen”, volunteer organizers Mindy Linder, Val Egan, Patricia Morales, Arielle Sherman and Hilary Amnah helped organize over 30 volunteers who helped gather 1029 audience intercept surveys (over 200 surveys above the minimum requirement) and facilitated the completion of 30 organizational expenditure surveys (nearly double the national average of submissions).

Americans for the Arts is now processing and analyzing our data, as well as data from over 200 study sites nationwide. While they are hard at work, we just wanted to take a moment to thank you for yours.  After all, this study and the high quality of our survey data would not have been possible without the ongoing support from our strong arts and culture community.  Thank you to the organizations that participated by allowing us to survey their audiences and for sharing their organization expenditure data.  It would not have been possible without YOU!!

We send our sincere thanks out to all who have contributed time and energy to Arts & Economic Prosperity IV Study survey collection.  Without your participation, we would not have been able to successfully meet and exceed each of our quarterly survey goals throughout the year.  Audience intercept surveys are a crucial part of data collection for this study, and we could not have completed them without you!

We still have a few events left to survey in December – we will be collecting surveys right up until the end of the year!  We hope to see you again at one of our last events.  And be sure to check back here in May 2012 when the results of the study are released.

The window has now officially closed for Organizational Expenditure Survey process and we would like to thank all of our participating arts organizations!!  We were able to successfully collect 30 organizational surveys – well above the national average.  Every single dollar and attendance figure counts in our survey, and this large pool of participants will strengthen our data pool.  Thank you again for taking the time to gather and submit this important information!

We are almost at the end of our survey year, but keep your eyes out for our volunteers at our last few arts events of the year.

There are just a few more days for organizations to submit their data to Americans for the Arts and ensure that it is included in the nationwide AEP4 study!  For more information or to complete the organizational expenditure survey, visit the Arts Organizations page.  Gather a few documents, complete the survey and then send it directly to Americans for the Arts.   It’s as simple as that!

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact Patricia Morales.

If you’re a non-profit arts organization, we need your help!  In order to get an accurate picture of the contribution that the arts and culture make to our community, we need to collect data from both patrons and organizations.  That means you!

Please check out the Arts Organization page to download a copy of the organization survey and send in your completed form to AFTA today.

Steve Earle at The Shedd

We have a busy week ahead of us and we need your help!  We’ll be surveying patrons at Art in the Vineyard this weekend, an Oregon Bach Festival event on Saturday morning, Summer In The City events next week and concerts at the Shedd Institute, among others.

We’re working hard to make sure that we survey as many events as we can so that we get a comprehensive and accurate report about the economic impact of the arts and culture here in Eugene.  So please take a moment to fill out a survey when you see our volunteers and perhaps even volunteer to collect surveys yourself.  It’s easy and fun – check out the volunteer page for more information!

We’ll see you out there this week!